RAF Typhoon fighters won a mid-air showdown with two Syrian warplanes heading towards Britains main base in Cyprus, the Sunday People reports.

The dramatic confrontation came after President Bashar Al-Assads air chiefs sent two Russian-made Sukhoi Su-24s to probe British air defenses, the report said.

The Syrian bombers refused to respond to repeated attempts by the control tower at the UKs Akrotiri air base to contact them.

RAF pilots flying the advanced combat jet were scrambled before the Sukhois could enter our 14-mile air exclusion zone.

The Typhoons  which can scream from runway standstill to seven miles high in 90 seconds  soared into the sky to make visual contact with the Syrian pilots, reported the Sunday People, which added that the moment the Syrians spotted the British planes on their radar they high-tailed for home.

Su-24s likely wouldn’t engage the Typhoons. It is more likely that this was a probe to determine the response of the British. The Su-24 is an attack/strike aircraft similar to the F-111. The Su-24 can carry anti-ship missiles, though.

7
posted on 09/08/2013 5:41:50 PM PDT
by Army Air Corps
(Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)

It makes me sick to think that all it took was an illiterate community organizer to bring us all to the brink of WW3 If he is trying to have his Bay of Pigs moment he had better wipe the white stripe off his back and be prepared to not only protect this country, but Israel as well. Sadly, since he is such a coward, we just might be in for a ton of hell on earth.

I see boots on the ground in our near future thanks to the jackass and his pathetic admin.

And the entire military world knows he is a loose cannon.. with a broken wheel..

********

He’s a sociopath and extremely delusional. He cannot take criticism and anyone that expresses disagreement with the dictator had better be careful. He knows we know he’s a failure and now he is on a dangerous bent to prove himself. This country and our military will pay the price for his arrogance and ignorance.

They may be trying to determine how quickly the British respond, get some insight into intercept methods, maybe to pick up possible comm frequencies. Either preparing for a wider war in the Med., or at least trying to show Obama that they are ready for one.

19
posted on 09/08/2013 6:23:07 PM PDT
by MRadtke
(Light a candle or curse the darkness?)

The administration’s working assumption seems to be that the Syrians can’t possibly strike back. Iran purchased 12 Kh-55 Kent cruise missiles from Ukraine in about 2001. The Iranian Meshkat cruise missile is rumored to be a reverse engineered Kent. If this rumor is correct and Iran were to provide the Meshkat to their ally Syria, assuming the missile is any good, it could make life exciting for the 6th Fleet and anyone else in the Eastern Med.

24
posted on 09/08/2013 6:31:02 PM PDT
by InABunkerUnderSF
(Because 2 terms with Jerry Brown as Governor was all I could take.)

The soviets did this stuff a lot during the cold war. It’s recon, but also has a psychological effect. Curious that they directed it towards Cyprus. Maybe Syria (Russia) doesn’t quite believe the Brits are sitting this one out completely.

That all adds up. Putin knows that the Brits are still allowing us access to their intelligence reports. This move may have punctuated some back-channel message to cease that activity, or risk being treated as a full combatant.

It’s a not so subtle message to Cyprus too. Air attacks launched from there make Cyprus a target for attack. Obama is ready to start a general war in the middle east to help his Saudi funded MB bretheren.

There is no American interest.

31
posted on 09/08/2013 7:23:03 PM PDT
by DesertRhino
(I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)

Scripture is clear there is to be a limited war which ushers in the one world leader.. it is also noticeable that the west, particularly America, are to not be an influence. Perhaps this war will escalate to the point of a limited nuclear exchange, resulting in the demise of the US. Hopefully they will limit their attack to key military targets, dc, ny, la. And leave the rest of us alone because we clearly don’t want this war as far as the fly over country is concerned.

The Typhoons  which can scream from runway standstill to seven miles high in 90 seconds

Not bloody likely mate. They are fast but not that fast. However, point taken. The Syrians beat feet rather that getting shot up then down.

The specs are saying it has a rate of climb of 62,000 feet per minute. Not sure if the human can make that climb that fast, but they say the plane can. Takeoff to vertical, I'd think they could make 36,000 feet in 90 seconds.

I don't think Putin is a fool, AA missiles against cruise missiles (especially the latest and most expensive ones)is problematic and an unlikely successful tactic. Assad may need them for the AC coming later if dopey can make a provocation case. If I'm a Russian, defense measures would come from Syria, not my ships.

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